Connector for bundled conductors



ay-S, 1970 E. GORIN 3,510,569

' CONNECTOR FOR BUNDLED CONDUCTORS Filed Aug. 1, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

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1N VENTOR. 06E/l/f 60/77 B Y arr-2045,14; @556, G525 {14m My 5, 1970 E.GORIN 351G569 CONNECTOR FOR BUNDLED CONDUGTORS Filed Aug. 1, 1968 2Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent 3,510,569 CONNECTOR FOR BUNDLEDCONDUCTORS Eugene Gorin, Greensburg, Pa., assignor to I-T-E ImperialCorporation, Philadelphia, Pa., :1 corporation of Delaware Filed Aug. 1,1968, Ser. No. 749,359

Int. Cl. H02g U.S. Cl. 174-70 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Thepresent invention relates to equipment employed in extra high voltagetransmission and distribution and more particularly to a novel connectorfor use with multiconductor bus to provide a support and rigiditythereto as well as providing for simplified connection with otherelectrical equipment.

The greater demands for power and more efiicient distribution have ledthe electrical industry to ever increasing use of equipment enablingtransmission and distribution of power at significantly higher operatingvoltages. Operating equipment in the extra high voltage range (commonlyreferred to as EHV) has led to the need for providing connecting meansfor multiconductor bus employed in EHV transmission, which connectingmeans provides rigidity, supporting strength and simplicity in couplingbetween multiconductor bus and associated electrical equipment. Thedevelopment of bundle conductors, also referred to as multiconductorbus, has been developed as a means for reducing corona in an effort toobtain reduction of corona. A new connector has been developed which hasa simplicity of design greatly facilitating its use with multiconductorbus as well as having a configuration which provides the structure witha very high corona inception level.

The connector is comprised of two hollow shells having a large radius ofcurvature to facilitate a reduction in corona inception. The shells arewelded between a pair of multibus conductors to provide for rigidsupport and electrical connection therebetween. At least one of theshells is provided with a cylindrical projection for connection to acylindrical-shaped conductor for coupling to associated electricalequipment. A pair of such units may be employed in conjunction with acylindrical conductor welded to each of the pair of conductors forcreating rigid support from multiple semi-rigid conductors. Thecylindrical-shaped conductor may then be employed to establish anelectrical connection between another multi- ICC bus conductor, the jawstructure of a disconnect switch or a single conductor terminal. In thecase of multiple strain bus, the strain conductor may be encapsulated incompression terminals which are then welded in the same Way as tubularconductors to provide an effective expansion terminal for bundleconductor assemblies.

It is therefore one object of the present invention to provide a novelconnector for use with multiconductor bus which provides rigid supportfor associated electrical equipment attached thereto and whose designafiords the device a very high corona inception level.

This, as well as other objects of the present invention will becomeapparent when reading the accompanying description and drawings inwhich:

FIGS. la and 1b are front and side elevational views, each partiallysectionalized, showing a connector for bundle conductors designed inaccordance with the principles of the present invention.

FIG. 2a is a perspective view showing the connectors of the type shownin FIG. 1 employed as an expansion terminal.

FIG. 2b shows a partial section of the embodiment of FIG. 2a taken alongthe lines Zb-Zb'.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the manner in which the connectorsof the present invention may be employed to provide a tap-off between apair of multiconductor buses.

FIGS. la and 1b show a connector assembly 10 for multiconductor buswhich is comprised of four tubular bundle conductors 11-14 whichalternatively may be cable bundle conductors. The cross-sectional areasof the conductors 11-14 are determined by the desired current densityand the span in a given application. The connector assembly is comprisedof a pair of connectors 15 and 16 which are substantially identical indesign and operation. The connector 15, for example, is comprised offirst and second hollow metallic shells 15a and 15b which are welded tothe conductors 11 and 12, as shown by the exposed weld 17. The interiorportion defined by sections 15a and 15b is hollow, providing openings 18at each end thereof. In the alignment shown in FIG. 1a, the lowersection 15b is provided with drain holes 19 (only one of which is shown)to prevent the accumulation of moisture or water within the hollowinterior.

Connector section 15b has either welded thereto or integrally formedtherewith a hollow cylindrical-shaped collar 20 for receving a tubularconductive member 21 which is securely welded to collar 20.

Connector 16 has its sections 16a and 16b welded in a similar fashionand differs from connector 15 by being provided with an opening insection 16a to permit the passage therethrough of tubular conductor 21which is welded to section 16a and shown at 22, as well as being weldedto the collar 23, forming an integral part of connector section 1611.Section 16b is likewise provided with drain holes 19 to facilitateremoval of any moisture or water collected within the hollow interior24.

The welded structure 10 of FIGS. 10 and lb creates rigid support fromthe multiple semi-rigid conductors 11-14, and thereby is capable ofmounting in a very rigid fashion the jaw structure 25, for example, ofavertical reach switch whose remaining structure has not been describedherein for purposes of simplicity and which may be of the type describedin issued U.S. Pat. No. 3,192,333.

The jaw structure 25 of the vertical reach switch is comprised of a jawcasting 26 field welded to conductor 21 and having a pair of brackets 27(only one of which is shown) for securing a corona shield 28 thereto(only one of the corona shields being shown in FIG. 112). Also securedto the jaw casting is a disconnect switch jaw structure 29 for use witha vertical reach disconnect switch which may, for example, be of thetype described in the above-mentioned patent. The details of the jawstructure have been omitted for purposes of simplicity. Suitable jawstructures are described in issued U.S. Pats. Nos. 3,312,796, 3,009,995and 3,388,225. Other jaw structures may be employed if desired,depending only upon the needs of the user. The distinct advantage of theconnector structure described herein in conjunction with the jawstructure enables alignment of the jaw structure to cooperate with thevertical reach switch blade in such a manner that the overheadmulticonductor bus may. be aligned either perpendicular to orsubstantially within the plane of rotation of the vertical reach switchblade.

The outer surfaces of the connector devices have a large radius ofcurvature to provide a high corona inception level and the manner oftheir connection in the assembly shown in FIGS. 1a and 1b provide a veryrigid support for the jaw structure due to the bracing manner ofconnection in which all of the conductors 11-14 are firmly fixed inposition relative to one another.

FIGS. 2a and 2b show another application of the connector device for usewith multiple strain bus. In the assembly 30 of FIGS. 2a and 2b, theconnector is again comprised of two curved sections 15a and 15b weldedto a pair of tubular conductors 31 and 32, for example, as shown by thewelds 33. The multiconductor bus comprised of conductors 11-14 isterminated by curved bus sections 34 and 35 which are integrally joinedwith conductors 11-12 and 13-14, respectively. The tubular conductors 31and 32 are welded to the multibus conductors 11-12 and 13-14,respectively, for example, by the weld 36 shown coupling tubular strainconductor 31 to conductor 11.

FIG. 2b shows rigid conductor 38 terminated (welded or bolted joint)with a laminated or flexible conductor loop 37. One end 40 of 100p 37 iswelded (or bolted) to the inside surface of the shell 15a. Conductor 38is free to slide through collar 20. This arrangement forms an expansionelectrical joint from multiple conductor 11-14 to a single conductor 38which conductor is well shielded against the eifect of corona. Theright-hand end of tubular conductor 38 is machined or otherwise formedto provide a terminal pad 39, having a plurality of openings 41 forcoupling the multiconductor bus to associated electrical equipment orfor terminating the end of the bus run, for example. The laminatedconductor 37 is free to flex in the horizontal direction in order tocompensate for thermal expansion or deflection due to the. strainimposed upon the structure due to the pull or weight of themulticonductor bus assembly and the associated electrical equipment (notshown) coupled to the terminal pad 39. This freedom of flexing isassured by providing sufficient clearance between tubular conductor 38and cylindrical collar to permit relative movement therebetween.

FIG. 3 shows another application of the connector structure for use incases where it is desired to provide an electrical connection betweentwo multiconductor buses. As shown therein, the assemblies 10 and 10 aresubstantially identical to the connector assembly 10 of FIGS. la and lband are distinguished from one another only by the primes associatedwith the designating numerals. The upper assembly 10 is coupled to thelower assembly 10' by means of the elongated tubular conductor 21 whichnot only serves to electrically connect the two assemblies, but furtherserves to maintain the assemblies in a fixed spatial relationship. Theindividual connecting assemblies 10 and 10' further serve to maintainthe conductors of their associated multiconductor buses in fixed spatialrelationship as well as providing a "rigid support between the twoassemblies through the medium of the semi-rigid conductors. Thecharacteristic of the assembly enables connection between multiconductorbuses to be made regardless of the angle between the buses. For example,the two bus runs may be Substantially parallel to one another or normalto one another, or may assume any other angle therebetween so long asthe connectors are aligned to maintain the tubular conductor 21 to becolinear with the openings provided in each of the connector devices.

It can be seen from the foregoing that the present invention provides anovel, easy to use, connector device which is simple in 'design andwhich provides extremely rigid support for associated electricalequipment to be connected to multiconductor bus assemblies and whosephysical configuration provides a high corona inception level andfurther has a large heat dissipating surface area and therefore a highercurrent carrying capacity in rela tionship to the relatively lightcross-sections.

What is claimed is:

1. Connector means in combination with multiconductor bus used in highvoltage applications and being comprised of a plurality of conductorsarranged in spaced parallel fashion, said means being comprised of:

first and second convex shapedthin shell sections formed of conductivematerial;

two opposite edges of each of said sections being substantiallyparallel;

the straight edgesof said sections each being joined to associatedconductors to form a hollow connecting structure Whose curved sectionsafford a large heat dissipation surface area and have a smooth outercontourof large radius of curvature, said contour extending between thejoined conductors to significantly reduce the formation of corona evenat high voltages.

2. The connector means of claim 1 wherein one of said sections isprovided with a centrally located opening;

a conductive collar extending outwardly from said opening for receivinga tubular conductor to couple associated electrical equipment thereto.

- 3. A connector assembly comprising first and second connector means ofthe type described in claim 1;

one section of each of said first and second connector means having acentrally located opening;

a conductor collar coupled to one section of each of said first andsecond connector means and extending outwardly from its associatedopening;

the remaining section of said second connector means having a centrallylocated opening aligned with the openings of said one section of saidfirst and second connector means;

an elongated tubular conductor extending through'all of theabove-mentioned openings in said first and second connector means andbeing joined thereto for electrically connecting and rigidly supportingassociated electrical equipment to said multiconductor bus.

4. Connector means for providing a strain connection betweenmulticonductor bus and terminal pad, said bus being comprised of atleast four conductors arranged in .spaced parallel fashion;

a first bridging conductor being joined between said first and secondconductors;

a second bridging conductor being joined between said third and fourthconductors;

said first and'second bridging conductors being arranged in spacedparallel fashion;

said connector means being comprised of first and second convex shapedthin conductive sections each having a pair of straight edges joined tosaid first'and second bridging conductors along said straight edges toform a hollow connector assembly;

at least one of said sections having a centrally located opening; aconductor collar being joined to said one section and surrounding saidopening;

a flexible conductor being mounted Within said hollow connectorassembly;

a tubular conductor having a first end extending through said collar andsaid opeining and being joined to an adjacent portion of said flexibleconductor to alleviate strain imposed upon the connector assembly;

the opposite end of said tubular conductor being adapted for connectionto associated electrical equipment.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,291,892 12/1966 Bethea 174-146X FOREIGN PATENTS 226,302 3/1963 Austria.

LARAMIE E. ASKIN, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

